What We Do: Directional Drilling Services

What makes us the expert standard in boring services? It's who we are. Come learn about what we do and all that our horizontal directional drilling services can offer your company.

DRILLING

DISCOVER THE NEW WAY OF DRILLING

Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) continues to gain popularity as the top alternative to conventional trenching. The flexibility of HDD to drill below streets, highways, rivers, environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands, and other obstacles — with minimal disturbance to the surface above makes HDD an ideal solution for the installation of gas, electric, telecommunications and water/sewer lines for utility companies.

HOW IT WORKS

HDD utilizes specially designed drill bits, continuous sections of drill pipe and survey equipment to accomplish horizontal drilling. Once the drill bit and pipe are underground, they can be steered within certain limits. Once the bit resurfaces at the goal point, a reaming bit is placed on the end of the drill pipe. When pulled through the existing pilot hole, this processes is called pre-reaming and allows sequentially larger reamers to be used to prepare the bore hole for pipe insertion. Pre-reaming may be repeated multiple times to provide the correct hole diameter and stabilization. After pre-reaming has been completed, the drill head is then connected to the pipeline or conduit via a specialized pulling head and is pulled through the bore hole to the start point, completing the job. During this entire process, guidance information is relayed to the drill operator via a wire-line locating system. Additionally JMF uses a down-hole data logging package, allowing us to monitor multiple drilling parameters, including hole pressures in real time. This monitoring helps prevent tooling failure, and mitigate irregular dis-charges. This real time data can be live streamed to any internet connected office allowing inspectors to monitor the progress without being on-site. 

TURNKEY ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION

JMF has been actively engaged in the installation of bored electrical primary and service lines for the past 10 years. Having performed installations all throughout Pennsylvania, we are knowledgeable about the working practices across different regions. JMF possess the ability to provide termination services on both primary and secondary installations. JMF can also provide soft excavation when working in and around substation facilities. Our crews are well trained in electrical safety standards and are always equipped with the correct PPE, including inspected power boots / gloves and all fiberglass tools.

TURNKEY NATURAL GAS INSTALLATION

Over the past 5 years JMF has developed a turnkey natural gas division, during that same period of time we have successfully completed nearly a quarter million feet of gas main installation.  Capable of installing plastic or steel gas main, and performing all necessary procedures for gas-up including but not limited to:

Live Tapping, Squeezeoff, Plastic Butt Fusion, Electro Fusion, Purging / Venting, Hot Work / Welding, Line Stopper Installation.

BORE PLAN ENGINEERING & DESIGN

JMF Underground analyzes each bore from start to finish using the most up-to-date technologies. Each project begins with a preliminary bore topographic survey equipment.  After all data is compiled, a bore plan is engineered by one of our on staff engineers have the ability to review all proposed bore paths prior to drilling operations begin to ensure all specifications of the project have been met.

After approval of the bore path, JMF will proceed to bore the pilot in accordance with the engineered bore path.  Upon successful completion of the pilot bore, the full bore path will be matched against the preplanned bore path to detect any discrepancies. 

Once a project has been successfully completed, the drill data from the True Guide locating software is exported into AutoCAD where a plan and profile of the product pipe is created.  This data can be incorporated into the previously existing as-built drawing or drawn as a standalone profile.  Exportation to GIS systems can be provided if necessary.  JMF engineering and bore design services stride to provide an extremely accurate bore plan from start to finish.

SOFT EXCAVATION & CORE BORE

BORING WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY

Using either a system of compressed air or pressurized water soft excavation is on the leading edge of digging technology.  Typical pitfalls of conventional excavation such as striking pipelines with heavy equipment are almost fully eliminated by inserting a guided pressurized lance with jetted tips.  These jet tips erode the soil and rock around the pipelines the remaining excavation slurry can then be pumped back out.  Additionally if excess backfill is needed the pumped slurry can be re-used as backfill.

This technology provides the most nondestructive means to precisely excavate a given area, being particularly useful for locating underground process piping without the use of traditional excavating equipment.  Compared to mechanical excavation, JMF’s vacuum excavator systems dramatically reduce the likelihood of striking or damaging existing pipe installations.

Non-destructive excavation methods are gaining popularity with underground utility companies, municipalities and other subsurface mechanical contractors.

CORE BORING

Using a large diamond tipped hole saw, to precisely and carefully open up both asphalt and concrete road surfaces in order to visually expose pipes below said road surfaces. After the road surface has been cored, one of the afore mentioned soft excavation techniques is used to expose the subsoil until the buried pipe is found. After coring a road surface, the hole is refilled with flowable fill and the original core is placed back into the hole creating a finished product as good as new. 

TRENCHING & EXCAVATION

WHERE PRECISION MEETS EXCAVATING

Utilizing conventional methods of excavating, JMF is capable of placing any size diameter pipe.  Being a cost effective way to place the pipe exactly where you want it, the tried and true methods of excavating will continue to be needed for a variety of purposes, such as manholes and site excavation.  Skilled operators are capable of operating most any machine from the smallest mini exc’es to larger back and trackhoes, with minimal disruption to traffic and ground cover.

OQ QUALIFIED HDPE FUSION

No mater the size or scope of the bore, JMF is capable of performing all required HDPE fusion to complete a job. Having certifications and operator qualification through multiple utility companies allows JMF to work with ease among a variety of projects.  We specialize not only in Butt fusion, but also electrofusion services and are currently qualified to perform both on gas line projects.